Type writer practice keyboard



(No Model.)

J. S. RHODES.

v TYPE WRITER PRACTICE KEYBOARD. No. 565,179. Patented Aug. 4, 1896.

Efi $5: moth E SE St by R NE m5 IQ: kufitw mm E I mwm main g WITNESSES By his Affol'lzey UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE,

JOHN STEVENSON RHODES, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE lVYCKOFF, SEAMANS & BENEDICT, OE NElV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITER PRACTlCE KEYBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,179, dated August 4, 1896.

Application filed May 2,1896. gerial No. 589,941. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN STEVENSON RHODES, a subject of the Queen of England, an d a resident of 51 Durham Road, Sparkhill,

Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented a certain new and useful Type-Eriter Practice-Keyboard, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my invention is to provide a small, cheap, and portable imitation typewriter keyboard for the purpose of enabling the learner to become familiar with the positions of the letters, numerals, punctuation-marks, &c., on the actual keyboard of the type-writer, and thus acquire speed and proficiency without use of the type-writer itself; and to this main end my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of devices, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, full size, of the practice-keyboard in condition for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the transverse line X X of Fig. 1, but showing the keyboard in a condition of disuse and with its cover added; and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional perspective view.

In the several views the same part will be found designated by the same numeral of reference.

In carrying out my invention the sham or duplicate keyboard may be formed of a series of strips or bars of cardboard, wood, metal, or other suitable material made the length of the rows of keys of the regular keyboard forming part of the type-writing machine and containing upon them representations of the different keys of the actual keyboard for which it is desired to use the sham keyboard for practicing purposes. The keys portrayed upon these strips may have a ring embossed around them to make them more nearly resemble the actual keys of a type-writer. These stripes are preferably connected to a framework or support of metal, wood, or cardboard of the size of the keyboard required. The strips are preferably fastened to the frame or support at their ends in order that there may be sufficient play or movement in the strips to admit of them yielding to the touch of the operator and of springing back to their original position after depression. Stops are preferably provided under the strips to prevent them from being pushed down too far. The stops will emit a slight sound when the strips touch them,resemblin g faintly the sound or clicking of a real typewriter. The strips are preferably placed on the framework or support with the front one lowest and gradually rising each row step by step until the back row is reached, which is the highest of all, as in the actual type-writer.

Of course, if it be not desired to construct a sham keyboard of yielding or rebounding strips and with stops to also produce sound when the strips are depressed and brought into contact therewith, the strips may be rigidly or unyieldingly secured in position, so as not to give to the touch of the operator, but nevertheless afford to the operator or practicer a ready and convenient means for familiarizing himself with the positions of the letters,&c. of the keyboard of the type-writer which he is desirous of learning to manipulate in practice or use. Hence variations from the preferred form and construction may be made without departing from the gist of my invention.

1 represents in its entirety a box-like structure composed of two long sides 2 and 3 and two short sides or ends a and 5 and abottoni 6. The rear side 2 at its ends is attached to the rear ends of the sides l and 5, but the front side 3 is disconnected from the short sides or ends 4: and 5. The said front side is connected to the bottom 6 in a hinge-like manner. It is preferably formed of a piece with the bottom, (in cases where the structure is made of cardboard,) and the cardboard is scored or creased at the juncture of these parts, so that the front side or flap 3 may be turned up or down, as may be required. The hinge line or j ointis designated by the numeral 7. At Fig. 1 the front side or flap is shown turned down to a horizontal position and as a continuation of the bottom of the box, while at Fig. 2 the said flap is shown turned up at right angles to the bottom and parallel with the rear side of the box, and in practice the front flap or side is made of the same length and width as the rear side.

At Fig. 1 the keyboard is shown in operative condition, while at Fig. 2 it is shown as in a condition of disuse, at which time it may be protected by a rectangular cover 8, comprising a top and four depending sides adapted to fit over the four sides of the keyboard. In this condition the contrivance resembles an ordinary closed box, capable of being put into the pocket on account of its small size and weight, and conveniently transported from place to place. In size it is about three and one-half inches wide, nine inches long,-

and one inch deep, and in weight it is only about four ounces when made of cardboard.

Attached to the upperor inner face of the front side or flap 3 is a strip 9 to represent the space-bar of a Remington type-writer, and on this strip may be imprinted the matter shown at Fig. 1viz., Space-barto be struck with the thumb at the end of each word. Of course, in lieu of attaching a strip 9 to the fiap 3 the said inscription may be imprinted directly upon the surface of said flap.

The end pieces 4 and 5 are preferably cut on a downward slant at their upper edges, so that they are narrowest at their front ends adjacent to the flap 3.

10, 11, 12, and 13 are four strips or bars of equal length and width, and each bar is formed or provided at its ends with depending cars 14:, which ears are secured to supports 15 at each end of the box or structure. If the contrivance be made of cardboard, (which is the preferred material,) the ears 14: may be formed by grooving or scoring at near the ends of the bars and by bending the end portions thereof downwardly, as represented at Fig. 3, and such downwardly-bent portions or cars may be secured to the end pieces 15 by staples 16, clasps, adhesive material, or by other means. The outer sides or faces of the ears let are preferably glued to the inner faces of the ends 4 and 5 of the box, whereby the bars and their supports are securely held in proper position within the box or frame.

The end pieces 15 are made step-like or with portions of Varying lengths, in order that the bars may occupy different horizontal planes in imitation of the rows of keys of a type-writer, which, as is well known, are banked successively one higher than the other from front to rear.

On each of the bars 10, 11, 12, and 13, which are preferably made of cardboard, is preferably pasted a thin cardboard or paper strip 17, bearing facsimiles of the characters of the keys in the type-writin g machine of which the sham keyboard is a duplicate. These characters are preferably surrounded by an embossed ring 18 in further imitation of the keys of the regular type-writing machine; but while the characters are preferably printed upon the continuous strip 17 for each bar and are surrounded by embossed rings, the characters may be printed directly upon the bars themselves or individually applied thereto made to represent the Yost type-writer there would be provided eight bars, with characters depicted thereon, instead of four bars, representing the four rows of keys in the Remington machine.

About centrally of the box or base and secured thereto by glue or other adhesive matter is a vertically-arranged stepped piece 19 to form a series of stops 20 for the three bars 10, 11, and 12, the bottom 6 of the box or framework forming a stop for the bar 13.

In practice, when the bars 10, 11, and 12 are depressed, they are limited in their downward movement by the steps or stops 20, which are arranged at a suitable or proper distance below the under side of said bars, as shown at Fig. 2. These stops prevent the bars from being unduly depressed and thereby injured, while at the same time they are adapted to serve to give forth a sound,as above explained. Being made of cardboard and being supported only at their ends, the bars have a springy or resilient action when released and rebound instantly to their normal positions.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a typewriter practice-keyboard consisting of a suitable base or framework, and a series of strips or bars provided with characters relatively arranged in like manner to the character keys of the particular type-writer of which the practice-keyboard is an imitation.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a typewriter practice-keyboard consisting of a suitable base or framework, and a series of parallel strips or bars arranged in different horizontal planes and provided with characters corresponding in kind and position to the character-keys of the particular type-writer of which the practice-keyboard is an imitation.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a typewriter practice-keyboard consisting of a suitable base or framework, and a series of depressible and rebounding strips or bars provided with characters in imitation of the finger-keys of a type-writing machine.

4:. As a new article of manufacture, a typewriter practice-keyboard consisting of a suitable base or framework, a series of stepped depressible and rebounding strips or bars provided with key-characters, and means for limiting the depression of said strips or bars.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a type-- writer practice-keyboard comprising a series of parallel strips or bars provided with imitation type-writer-key characters and attached at their ends to stepped supports or end pieces.

6. A type-writer practice-keyboard comprising a box-like base, stepped end pieces,

and a series of parallel strips or bars provided with imitation type-writer keys and attached at their ends to the said end pieces and to the ends of the said box-like structure.

7. A type-writer practice-keyboard comprising a rectangular box-like structure, the ends of which are slanting and the front of which is disconnected and provided with an imitation space-bar, and a series of parallel strips or bars connected to the ends of the said box-like structure and provided with imitation finger-keys.

S. A type-writer practice-keyboard comprising a rectangular box-like structure, the ends of which are slanting and the front of which is hinged, to occupy either a horizontal or a vertical position, and which front is provided with an imitation space-bar, a series of strips or bars provided with imitation finger-keys, and a cover adapted to embrace all four sides of the box-like structure and hold the hinged front in a vertical position.

9. A type-writer practice-keyboard consisting of the rigid rear side 2, the hinged front side 3, the rigid and slanting ends 4: and 5, the bottom 6, the stepped end pieces, and a series of parallel strips or bars provided with imitation finger-keys.

10. In a type-writer practice-keyboard, the combination of a series of elastic strips or bars provided with imitation type-writer keys.

11. In a type-writer practice-keyboard, the combination with a series of elastic strips or bars provided with imitation type-writer keys, of a series of stops to limit the depression of said strips or bars.

12. In a type-writer practice-keyboard, a series of strips or bars provided with keycharacters and surrounding embossed or raised rings.

13. In a type-writer practice-keyboard, a series of strips or bars of cardboard attached at their ends only to suitable stepped pieces, and provided on their upper sides with strips printed with key-characters and provided with surrounding embossed or raised rings.

Signed at Birmingham, in the county of Varwick and Kingdom of England, this 17th 5 5 day of April, A. D. 1896.

JOHN STEVENSON RHODES.

IVitnesses E. HARKER, ORLANDO CECIL POWER. 

